Dear Comrade!

Your article delighted me greatly, as the article of a centralist fighting against Dontsov and Co. It is extremely important to wage struggle against nationalists of this stripe (and against Ukrainian Social-Democrats), who are more sophisticated!

I shall absolutely insist to the editors of *Pravda* on the publication of your article. But, in my view, it is incomprehensible to the readers—40,000 Russian (and for the most part Great Russian) workers.

My advice, if you will permit me to give it: write another article, which should come first. An introduction, a brief general outline of the question of "centralism" and "separatism" (you have chosen the terms happily and correctly) among the Social-Democrats of Ukraine. Introduce the reader to the question. Tell about the general tendencies, what they are, what is their history (briefly).

Then another question: Basok has indeed turned toward nationalism and separatism? That is what I heard; is this correct? Could you not obtain for me his "famous" article (from 1910 or 1911 or 1912) with the shift?*

Then recently, they say, in Lvov someone "united" at a conference: the Spilka people with the Ukrainian Social-Democrats or with Dontsov?? I was promised united resolutions from Lvov, but they have not yet been sent.

* Which article of Basok's is meant has not been established. —Ed.

What do you know about this? 237 Should not two lines be inserted to the effect that among the Spilka too, unfortunately, there are those falling away into nationalism and separatism?

Greetings and best wishes!

N. Lenin

Written July 20, 1913

Sent from Bern to Zurich

First published in 1930

in Lenin Miscellany XIII

Printed from the manuscript